Windows has system-level support for FLAC, just like macOS. I think the only variable may be what APIs they're using, as some things may be implemented in newer Windows APIs than what old code bases for mature product lines are using. That being said, the format is open so they could have easily just added their own support in - as innumerable other DAWs have done - even product lines much older than Reason.crimsonwarlock wrote: ↑11 May 2024My guess indeed is that they use the FLAC-support that is built-in in the Apple OS. Implementing native FLAC-support should be a no-brainer, especially as the FLAC format license is a free-for-everyone affair, and the algorithms are licensed under a BSD-license, meaning that commercial implementation is allowed without any restrictions.
Exactly why people are asking for it
Microsoft has been fairly good about adding support for new media CODECs. FLAC support has been there for a while, now. Blackmagic Design routinely leverages the system CODECs to add support for file formats in the Free SKU for DaVinci Resolve.